Schaffner and Johnson Highlight All-Summit League Baseball Awards

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Sophomore infielder Jake Schaffner was named the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year and redshirt junior left-handed pitcher Nolan Johnson was tabbed the Summit League Pitcher of the Year as seven Bison garnered All-Summit League honors, the league office announced on Tuesday morning.

Schaffner, who was also named to the All-Summit League First Team for the second straight season, becomes the first player in program history to be named Summit League Defensive Player of the Year. Schaffner posted a team-best .408 batting average, .517 slugging percentage, .474 on-base percentage and ranked second in the league with 49 total hits. He logged at least one hit in 25-of-28 league games with 17 multiple hit games. The Janesville, Wis., native was also positioned tied for second with 12 stolen bases and registered a .980 fielding percentage in Summit League play.

Johnson became the first pitcher in program history to be named the Summit League Pitcher of the Year and also garnered All-Summit League First Team honors for first time in his career. The Lakeville, Minn., native led the league with 55 strikeouts over nine starts. He posted at least seven strikeouts in five starts and was slotted third with a 3.34 ERA in league play.

Danny Lachenmayer was also named to the All-Summit League First Team after posting five saves in league play, which ranked tied for second. The Eagan, Minn., native totaled 23 strikeouts over 16.0 innings with a 2.81 ERA.

Dante Smith and Logan Knight both earned a spot on the All-Summit League Second Team for the first time in their careers. Knight ranked sixth in league play with 47 strikeouts and posted a 3.91 ERA over nine starts. Smith registered a .375 batting average with 33 hits, 17 runs and 11 RBI over 22 starts in league play.

Davis Hamilton and Sam Canton closed out the group each picking up All-Summit League Honorable Mention honors. Hamilton registered a .316 batting average with a team-best 25 RBI and seven doubles in league play. Hamilton was also slotted second on the team with 36 hits and 21 runs. Canton posted a .295 batting average over 28 starts with 31 hits, including a team-best four home runs in Summit League play.

The full Summit League release can be viewed here.

Second-seeded NDSU will be back in action against third-seeded Omaha to begin the Summit League Championship on Wednesday night. First pitch is set for 6:00 p.m., at Tal Anderson Field.

 

2025 All-Summit League Baseball Teams and Individual Awards

(as selected by The Summit League head coaches)

 

Player of the Year: Henry Zipay, Omaha

Pitcher of the Year: Nolan Johnson, North Dakota State

Newcomer of the Year: Easton Teel, Oral Roberts

Defensive Player of the Year: Jake Schaffner, North Dakota State

Coach of the Year: Ryan Folmar, Oral Roberts

All-League First Team

C: Wailele Kane-Yates, Oral Roberts

1B: Tyler Bishop, Omaha**

2B: Jack Schark, Oral Roberts

3B: Henry Zipay, Omaha**

SS: Jake Schaffner, North Dakota State**

OF: Will Edmunson, Oral Roberts

OF: Jackson Trout, Omaha

OF: Owen Siegert, South Dakota State

DH: Bryce Ronken, South Dakota State

UT: Matthew Maulik, St. Thomas**

SP: Easton Teel, Oral Roberts

SP: Nolan Johnson, North Dakota State

SP: Marcus Kruzan, St. Thomas

RP: Danny Lachenmayer, North Dakota State

All-League Second Team

C: Craig Kenny, Northern Colorado

1B: Luke Luskey, SDSU**

2B: Tanner Recchio, St. Thomas**

3B: Nolan Grawe, South Dakota State

SS: Carter Sintek, South Dakota State

OF: Jake King, Northern Colorado

OF: Joe Vos, St. Thomas

OF: Dante Smith, North Dakota State

DH: Brigs Richartz, St. Thomas

UT: Adam Benes, South Dakota State

SP: Logan Knight, North Dakota State

SP: Riane Ritter, St. Thomas

SP: Ben Weber, Omaha

RP: Zak Endres, St. Thomas

Honorable Mention

C: Max Moris, St. Thomas** 

1B: Joe Roder, St. Thomas

3B: Kai Wagner, Northern Colorado**

3B: Davis Hamilton, North Dakota State

SS: Martell Davis, Oral Roberts

OF: Cooper Combs, Oral Roberts

OF: Sam Canton, North Dakota State

OF: Tyler Palmer, Omaha

DH: Owen Coil, Oral Roberts

SP: Murphy Gienger, Northern Colorado

SP: Nathan Love, Oral Roberts

SP: Tanner Foertsch, Omaha

RP: Jake Goble, South Dakota State

RP: Dalton Patten, Oral Roberts

*number of all-league selections